Lieberman's farewell warning: Watch out for the next generation (video)

CROMWELL -- U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, I-Conn., paid a farewell visit to the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Monday, accepting praise, offering thanks and admonishing his colleagues in Washington to pay more attention to the next generation and not the next election.

Lieberman chose not to run for re-election this year, ending a 42-year career in public service that saw him go from the General Assembly to state Attorney General and then four terms as a senator.

In a display of both professional and personal admiration, the state's junior senator, Richard Blumenthal, was also on hand at Monday's monthly chamber breakfast to offer a tribute to Lieberman.

Lieberman received so many compliments during his appearance that he said many of them sounded like eulogies.

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"The great thing is, I'm here to hear them!" Lieberman joked.

Blumenthal described Lieberman as "a partner, a mentor and a role model."

He said Lieberman enjoys unusual respect among his Senate colleagues, "because of the values he has espoused." Blumenthal called that "his most lasting achievement."

"Joe is a model of civility and respect, and also independence of mind and a commitment to do the right thing," Blumenthal said.

"Those are qualities we will need more than ever as we face 'sequestration' and 'the financial cliff,'" Blumenthal said.

Those twin issues formed the heart of Lieberman's remarks at the meeting.

Congress is scheduled to address the intertwined issues during a special post-election session in December.

Because Congress was unable to reach an agreement last year on a deficit reduction plan, they installed what in essence is a ticking time-bomb intended to scare them into acting this year.

Sequestration is a series of mandatory $1.2 trillion in across-the-board budget cuts that are set to take effect Jan. 1.

The proposed decade-long reductions include $500 billion in defense cuts.

Cuts that deep would have a real and serious impact on Connecticut's defense industry, which includes both Pratt & Whitney, which manufactures jet engines for military aircraft, and the Groton-based submarine builder, Electric Boat.

Just as scary, Lieberman said, are a looming $2.8 trillion in tax increases over the next decade.

Congress's record to date in dealing with debt issues is not good, Lieberman acknowledged.

Efforts to deal with the debt are hampered, Lieberman said, by rigidity and ultra-partisanship that have created a dangerous mix.

Alluding to George Washington's Farewell Address, Lieberman warned of the dangers of members of Congress who are "more loyal to factions than to our country."

Compromise has become a dirty word, he added. The intense partisanship that is so pervasive in Washington today means too many legislators "are unwilling to settle for anything less than 100 percent," Lieberman said.

"We're not doing what we have to get the national debt back into balance," he said, in large part because representatives "have become risk adverse" out of fear they may lose the next election.

Risk is a necessary part of life, Lieberman said -- "particularly if you want to solve problems."

There are two keys to reining in the national debt, which has ballooned to $16 trillion, Lieberman said: entitlement reform and tax reform.

The balance between spending and revenues is wildly out of kilter, Lieberman said, with spending equal to 23 percent of the gross domestic product, while revenues are at just 16 percent.

"We're going to have to show some guts" to redress that imbalance, Lieberman said.

And, he added, "Everyone has to contribute to get us out of the hole we're in."

The morning wasn't entirely somber, however.

A member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Lieberman said the men and women who serve in the armed forces represent the very best of America.

"They live out the values of our country," he said.

And Lieberman surprised Chamber President Larry McHugh by announcing that Monday was McHugh's birthday.

Lieberman then led the approximately 500 people at the breakfast in a rousing version of "Happy Birthday" which ended with the presentation of a birthday cake - complete with lighted candles - to McHugh.

Lieberman closed the meeting by presenting McHugh with a Connecticut Hero award.

Lieberman said the award, which he instituted, was being given to McHugh in recognition of McHugh's "hard work, his religious faith, his loyalty to his family and to his country, and his service to the community."

Speaking of Lieberman, McHugh said, "He will always be 'our U.S. Senator,' and for that, I am forever, ever grateful."

The chamber breakfasts are also an avenue for education for high school students, according to McHugh. The audience Monday morning included students from 11 area high schools.

Middletown High School advanced placement government and American politics students attended with Kathy Adams, social studies department chairwoman. They later posed for pictures with Lieberman and Blumenthal.

"It was great," Adams said of Lieberman's speech, adding that they were going to go back to school and discuss how it would align with Chris Matthews' book, "Hardball."

Students from Nathan Hale Ray High School in East Haddam said they enjoyed listening to Lieberman.

"He thanked everyone for supporting him and talked about his plans to continue bipartisan agreements in economic issues," said Jordyn Dickey, 16, junior class president.

Local business people also were happy to listen to Lieberman and speak and pose for pictures with him afterward.

"He was really wonderful. I was a vocal supporter of his when he was more on the national stage," said John Cloud of Renewal by Andersen, a new chamber member. Cloud said he had sent numerous letters to the senator over the years and the senator would respond with informative answers. "We need more third-party candidates," Cloud said.

Floresia Allen, president and owner of Allen's Abatement Services in Hartford was happy to have attended.

"He addressed a lot of important issues. I will miss him. He was able to address all of my concerns and issues," Allen said.